Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 847

PIERRE LOUIS MOREAU DE MAUPERTUIS (1698-1759) Venus physique. n. publ.] 1745 194 pp. 15.1 cm.

A rare first edition of Maupertuis' remarkable work on embryology and genetics. It is divided into two parts: "Dissertation sur l'origine des hommes et des animaux" and "Dissertation sur l'origine des noirs." The first part was originally published a year earlier under the title "Dissertation physique à l'occasion du Nègre blanc" and was written after an albino Negro appeared in Paris. A scientist, philosopher, and original thinker, Maupertuis was years ahead of his time in many aspects of biology, particularly embryology and genetics. His arguments against the then-prevailing theory of preformation and for epigenesis were so close to the idea of evolution that he is a true forerunner of Darwin and Mendel. His theories and observations are contained in this work, which he may have had published anonymously to avoid repercussions from Church authorities.

Cited references: Osler 3350; Waller 6354 (1746 ed.)

Gift of John Martin, M.D.